Chamber of Fairy Tales
by Red Phoenix Queen
Summary: A Harry Potter take on classic fairy tales.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing except Skylar Collins and Leah Smith.**

**All mistakes my own.**

**AN: In this story the characters I have used are Cedric Diggory, Oliver Wood, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood.**

**AN2: In this story Oliver, Harry, Hermione, Luna, Leah and Sky are mer-people and the children of King Alexander Ruler of Atlantis.**

Below our world is an enchanting oceanic world where many colourful creatures live but not so many as wonderful as the mer-people. The mer-people were ruled by a wise widowed king with six young children. Music filled the waters along with song with the promise of the future for each of them. As they grew up, the king promised each of the royal children that upon their nineteenth birthday may they rise through the waves to gaze upon the world of man.

When the first child, Harry reached of age, the other children followed him to the edge of waters but didn't go with him each excited to find out what he had seen. The water parted before him with the prince delighted in all that greeted him. Silvery light enchanted him with the merman lying upon the sand under the stars gasping at the music of the world of man with the church bells singing to him, human voices, and even the music within the nearby darkened village. When the sun rose, the eldest child swam home regaling his siblings of the wonders of man but none listened to the tales more but the youngest princess.

As the second child, Oliver reached his chance to go up to the surface did he delight in even more tale for he rose just as the sun was setting exciting telling his siblings of the sky coloured in pinks, purples and blue. Above him the little merman also watched sea gulls floating above him but his attention was, drawn to the setting sun swimming towards it to discover what it truly was this ball of gold but was saddened when it disappeared with the sea. He too told his siblings his magnificent tale.

Now another year went by and the third child, Hermione was a bold one swimming within a small channel connected to the ocean to find in her delight a lush green forest. Even more astounding was the small humans swimming naked nearby but as she went to play with them, they went in fear from her. This didn't frightened the little mermaid but for the black furry creature making such a loud barking noise at her sending her back into the world of the deep. Even though the furry creature frightened her, it never deterred her remaining siblings for when it was their turn to see the world above the sea.

The fourth child was but timid and didn't adventure such as far as her older siblings but Luna did delighting in dancing with the singing dolphins and the whales under the warm sunny sky. The more their younger sister heard of this, the more she desired for her turn for she would wait the longest.

When the fifth child Leah reached of age, it had become winter on the surface so her very sights were even more enchanting with the sea quite green with large icebergs floating around the surface. She could only describe them as the treasures left to the bottom by sunken ships with strange chests with the wind ghosting around her. Her siblings came to see this for themselves but alas their little sister was forced to wait having been heard to say, "Oh how I wish I were eighteen so I may gaze upon the wonders of this mortal world for mine eyes."

Finally after many years of yearning, it was the time for the young princess to rise to the surface with the glow of the night. What she saw delighted her seeing a large floating vessel with many humans dancing and singing on the surface. Colours of light filled the starry night with the sound of thunder and the laughter of the mortals. She swam ever closer to take in these delights but none drew her as to the sight of a lovely boy leaving a covered room to stand upon the surface as well. Skylar 'Sky' climbed up to hide just under the railing to peek even further as the waves crashed violently around the ship causing the boy to gasp for a storm was coming. The beautiful human was threatened by the very sea whom she'd come from with the waves hitting the tall mast and onto the wooden decks.

Thunder soon turned to the sky darkening with lights not those of colours but of pure frightening light flashed through the sky. The waves crashed up as high as mountains seeming to loom down upon the vessel with the little mermaid jumping into the ocean in alarm. She watched wide-eyed when one of the frightening lights struck the ship to turn into a glowing beast spreading over the ship with many humans scattering about unloading a smaller boat getting inside but as the human prince went on board, Sky saw him fall into the railing hitting his head with the waves rocking the vessel. That was when he fell into the cold ocean sinking down below the surface.

For knowing that humans may not survive within her world, the mermaid jumped in to grab the Prince within her arms to keep his head above the surface swimming towards the sandy shores near the palace. There she held the unconscious form on the beach even as the sun slowly rose but just as the golden glow shone behind her did the prince's eyes open to see only a small form of the mermaid awakened by the song of a creature that couldn't be human but an angel. Sky fearing that the prince would fear her as the small humans feared her sister, darted back into the world below resurfacing behind rocks enchanted by the human she had saved. She longed to be a part of his world now and forever.

As she watched the boy wake up and saw the other humans find him, Sky rose to the rocks and the waves crashed over her, the wind flew through her black locks with her voice singing like a siren but saddened to say good bye.

Cedric Diggory had woken up to see a beautiful vision and to hear the song of an angel but to be saddened when the form disappeared, sitting up rubbing his head. His head throbbed with an intense ache but as others whom were searching for him found their missing 20 year old prince, he wondered if it were a dream. In the distance he heard that song once more glancing back only to see a lovely creature in the middle of the ocean on rocks only to have it disappear once more wondering it were a strange but lovely dream.

When the young mermaid returned home that very day, her siblings begged her to tell her of her adventure telling them of the prince and all that she had but seen and done. When her siblings heard the tale they urged her to speak with their father for she had questions and none knew the answers. The mermaid princess heeded no mind to her questions but they would haunt Sky until she did as they bid going to seek her father. Once had found him, the young mermaid spoke before the wise Mer-King needing to know more about humans.

"Father, I desire knowledge for questions I have."

Her father Alexander sat upon his golden throne to gaze upon his youngest child for he loved all of his children the same but Sky was the last connection to his late queen. "What have you to ask of me daughter?"

"If human beings do not drown." Sky asked looking up at her father. "Can they live forever? Do they never as we do here in the sea?"

The king thought upon this question wanting to reply as best he could before he spoke in turn. "Yes, my child, they must also die but their terms of life are but shorter than ours. We may live up to centuries but alas as we die; we cease to exist here only to become the foam upon the surface of the water. We not even have a grave as humans do to mourn and we nor have immortal souls for we shall never live again. Humans do have a soul and shall live forever after the body but sand upon the beaches as it rises up to greet the glittering stars and beyond. As we rise above the surface to behold their world do they rise to behold and unknown land we shall never see."

"Why have I not an immortal soul as humans father?" Sky asked saddened that she would not see what a human would when their time but came. "For I would gladly give all my of years within the ocean but to be a human for but one day so that I may know the glory they behold upon the end of their days."

The king shook his head and wrapped his arms around his beloved daughter. "Best you do not think upon such things my child for we live with more happiness than a human."

"So I shall then die? I shall become the foam of the surface only to never but hear the music neither of the waves nor of humans? I shall never see such wonders as I have that very night?" The mermaid pondered this saddening fact looking upon her father. "Is there anything that I may do to win an immortal soul?"

"No my child. Not unless a man were to love you so that that you were more to him than his father or mother. If all his thoughts and love were fixated upon you and the priest placed his right hand upon your own promising to be true to be here and beyond then his soul shall glide within your body as you would obtain a share in being a human. That love would give a soul to you and keep his own but alas this can never happen as it is only but an old fish's tail told by those foolish enough to not find joy within our world."

The young mermaid looked down upon her very tail with a mournful sigh for her heart ached for human desiring to share upon her very being and soul for all eternity. Alas as the days went by Sky found her yearning all the stronger finding herself upon the surface more, the waves crashing over her body and tail wishing to catch upon the Prince once more. It consumed all her but desire until she deemed to do what none would do as foolish as the act would be. She would seek the council of the sea witch heading from the waters of safety to the very caverns of the wicked where lava but flowed from underwater volcanoes, the mournful cries of the damned begging for her to turn away. Determined Sky swam closer with her heart beating rapidly but her desire were ever stronger to be with the human whom ached her very heart. There in the midst of the caverns lay a home made of the very bones of shipwrecked humans finding the sea witch sitting down within her home.

In a voice as croaked and frightening as her surrounding the sea witch spoke glancing upon the young mermaid. "I know what you want and it is very stupid of you to desire it. It shall only bring you sorrow pretty little princess. You want to be rid of your tail for two legs of humans for the love of a human prince for an immortal soul." The witch barked of laughter regarding the girl before her speaking once more. "I shall make a draught for you but you must swim to land tomorrow before the sunrise. Sit upon the very shore where your love rested after being saved by the clutches of death and drink it. Your tail shall disappear and legs shall appear upon it but I must warn you, there shall be pain for you as if but a sword passing through you. The legs shall be lovely but the pain shall remain within every step taken shall be felt as if but treading upon sharp knives and that blood shall flow despite being graceful as if swimming in the oceans. Can you bear all of this?"

Sky felt her body trembling and it was soon heard upon her voice as she spoke. "Yes, I shall bear it."

"Ah but think again," The witch replied. "For when once the shape becomes as the humans, you shall no longer be a mermaid for you will never return though the very waters you love very so to be with your siblings or father. If you do not win the love of the prince so that he is but willing to forsake his father and mother for the sake, and to love you with his whole soul, and allow the priest to join you in matrimony, then you shall never have an immortal soul. The first morning after he marries but another, the heart shall break and you will become but foam upon the crest of the waves."

With a gulp knowing her fate would be worse than to never have but tried, the girl nodded. "I shall do it."

"But you also must pay and it is not a small trifle that I ask of you. You have the sweetest voice of any who dwell within the depths of the sea. You shall be able to charm the prince with it also but the voice you must give to me as the best thing you possesses shall be the price for my draught. Mine own blood must be mixed within it as for it may be as sharp as a double-edge sword."

"But if you take my voice away what is left for me?"

"Why your lovely form, the graceful walk and the expressive eyes for you to surely enchant a man's very heart. Well have you lost the courage girl or shall you agree to my terms."

"I shall let it be."

The witch nodded and then went towards her various strange vessels adding them within a large black cauldron but as it lay ready, then grabbed a golden shell holding it with her hands. "Now for the price little Princess. I shall take the voice and you shall sing for me."

Sky watched her work nervously but then she knew there really was no going back when the golden shell glow doing as she bid singing as the siren her voice was watching the strange light move towards her entering her very body. She arched a little with the glow pulled her very voice from her throat watching it enter within the shell. She was then given a glowing purple draught and told to go upon the shores swimming though the frightening waters. As she came upon her very fate, Sky rested upon the very shores as the sun was the rise drinking the purple fluid determined that love would be worth such sacrifices.

Sharp pain went through her body as it was but a sword slicing through her very flesh unable to scream for the loss of her voice finally being far too much with the loss of consciousness. When the dawn arose and shone upon the sea did Sky open her very eyes only to find that she was but found by the prince. There stood the one she so desired but sadly she couldn't plead for any assistance but alas as she looked down, Sky saw that she had not a tail but legs and also was naked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing except Skylar Collins and Leah Smith. **

**All mistakes my own.**

Cedric had gone to the shore as he had done for many a day in hope of find or hearing the beauty that had saved him from the cold clutches of death only to find a naked girl lying on the sandy shores. She was a vision of perfection and for a moment he did hope that this was the angelic form of his visions. Those were dashed once he asked Sky who she was and where she had come from only to receive none for an answer but pained green eyes. As Cedric helped her to stand did the mermaid feel as the witch had told her with the prince placing his red cloak around her naked flesh. Every step as promised was as if she was treading upon sharp points of needles or the blades of knives but for the prince, Sky braved it well without but a grimace of pain for the sacrifice was but for Cedric stepping lightly beside the princess entering the large white building. Once inside, Sky found herself given a bubble bath before placed within expensive fabrics of silk. As she was a lovely creature, Cedric felt deep dismay with the girl not of his dreams nor visions when he could not speak nor sing as the one he longed for could.

As the days slowly passed, the young mermaid felt her heart aching all the more with love for the Prince but alas it only seemed to a love one may have for one's small child. A few days after she was found did Cedric find out that the girl's name was Sky. Sky knew that she needed to have Cedric desire to marry her to receive an immortal soul. If failing that, she would surely fade into the foam upon the sea's surface upon the morning of Cedric's marriage to another. Sky one morning glanced at Cedric trying to will her very eyes to ask if the prince but loved him.

Cedric glanced at the young mute girl and spoke before her but it was not what the mermaid desired to hear. "Yes, you are dear in mine heart for you have the best heart and you are the most devoted to me among any other within the palace and mine sight. You remind me of a young girl whom I fear to never meet again. I was in a ship that was wrecked within a storm with the very waves carrying me to the shore near the town by a holy temple. A young girl saved my life but I have only seen her twice and she is the only one I shall love for her voice and beauty is cast upon mine heart and soul."

Sky felt her heart ache with both delight and sorrow. The prince loved her but didn't know that it was her that had pulled him from the ravaging seas but as the days moved forward, she knew that her time was but short for it was soon time for the prince to marry. The prince soon came to her one day and the mermaid felt the pains knowing the truth even as spoke of only a visit with it being rumoured that he was to marry the daughter of a king from another land.

"I must travel and see this princess as my parents desire it but they shall not oblige me to bring her home to be my bride. I know that I can not love her as mine heart is only for the girl from the temple but you do remind me of her. If I were to marry, I shall rather choose you with the expressive eyes." Cedric spoke and smiled softly gently placing a soft loving kiss upon her lips and taking Sky into his arms placing a hand upon her very heart.

The ship soon sailed through the sea with many a sailor speaking in wonder of what may live with the very depths but the young mermaid knew better. She knew all the wonders within sea but longed for the love of the prince and to explore the world of humans. To share in their happiness and love. The next morning they came into the harbour the neighbouring kingdom but the princess was none to be seen or what she desired so Cedric made the choice to return to his kingdom after many a night at sea after he did meet the princess.

Sky headed back into the palace but little did she but know that all was about to change as while she slept that very night, the prince was walking on the beach only to gasp hearing the voice of an angel. A shadow but appeared on the beach walking through the night towards him with the voice enchanting him, golden whisps seemed to be calling towards him.

The next morning, news spread fast of the Prince getting married that very evening at sunset with Sky uncertain as to whom he was to wed. Remembering that the Prince had spoken of only desiring to marry her, the girl beamed with silent happiness heading towards the stairs only to halt seeing a strange girl standing with Cedric on the lower level speaking to his herald. The mermaid hid hearing every world but with every single world, it was a knife to her very heart.

"Well I must say Cedric, this mystery girl of yours does exist and she is a lovely creature." Cedric's father smiled and took the young woman's hand. "Congratulations my girl."

"We wish to marry tonight at sunset." Cedric spoke almost with no emotion towards his desires but the words were enough to break Sky's very heart leaving the second level but as the mermaid slowly fled away the mystery girl smiled coldly fingering a smooth golden shell feeling nothing but great satisfaction.

Sky entered her room unable to help but sob on the large bed within her current chambers for she had sacrificed so much in the hopes of being most beloved by Cedric having fallen in love with him. To have him but marry another would destroy her so as the wedding ship left the port, the mermaid did not but go upon it. She had been in contact with her siblings and sat upon the very beach were she had but saved the Prince's life she was unprepared for what she might hear watching the afternoon sun. For tomorrow, she would perish to become the foam of the sea.

As she sat there upon the sands, her siblings came to her begging that she come with them for having expected Sky to be marrying the prince, one of her brothers Oliver came upon the ship hearing the girl's singing voice. With a silent call of the sea, the prince urged himself onto the great vessel to peer within the room finding to his horror not his sister but another.

"Sky you must listen to me. It's the sea witch with your own voice for I've seen with my own eyes." Hearing this, the mermaid gasped and she immediately went to the waters but she couldn't enter the waters. Seeing the dilemma, her siblings grabbed a small boat sailing her towards the wedding barge arriving just in time for the wedding to begin. Climbing up onto the boat with the intense agony upon her very feet, the girl came aboard alarmed upon seeing Cedric at the altar with the imposter. With no more than a quick mind did Sky grabbed the red velvet carpet for which the impostor stood lifting it up. The bride fell to the floor hard with many gasping but the mermaid was ready for it with the sea witch growling in pure rage.

"Why you little wretched brat!" The sea witch spoke stalking towards the little mermaid attacking but Sky had learned to use her very legs knocking the creature down getting some help when a manner of sea creatures attacked. Sky knew that her siblings were protecting her and trying to help her. Once the sea witch was well distracted did she grab at the golden shell breaking it upon the hard wooden surface. As she did so the golden energies emerged with the shell as did her voice returning to its very owner.

Cedric felt his heart swimming and blinked utterly confused as to where he but was standing upon the wedding ship at the altar only to hear the voice of his angel floating from the very deck only to see that it was indeed Sky that he longed for. "Sky? It was you?" The prince went towards the girl and took her within his arms feeling that his heart did indeed long for the girl that had been in front of him.

The sea witch bellowed for Cedric to get away from Sky but they ignored her only lost within each other's eyes only to laugh coldly raising her hands. Just as the two embraced leaning in for a loving kiss, Sky cried out in pure agony falling to the cold deck with her legs disappearing only to be replaced with her very tail much to the shock of all assembled. Cedric stood there with his grey eyes wide uncertain as to what to do going to his beloved holding her within his arms.

As the prince got to the mermaid, the sea witch changed into a hideous creature stalking towards her prize grabbing at the fallen mermaid wrapping her large arms around her grinning wickedly. "So long lover boy." With that said, Sky disappeared with the witch screaming in pure horror landing into the depths but little did the beast know that a human's love had been indeed won when a sharp spear shot through the darkening ocean and into her chest just missing the girl by only a few centimetres. Sky was free but even as the creature died did she take out her vengeance knocking Cedric down hard letting him sink to the depths. With a scream, Sky went down after him once again clutching him from the very depths of as she had but done before.

With the sun setting once more, Sky lay on the sandy shores with her beloved softly singing to him saddened that she was a mermaid yet again but Cedric was safe. Cedric could only lay there listen to such beauty. "What shall you do now?"

"I must return to the sea unless you desire to bring me as your wedded one?"

Cedric smiled and gently took the girl's face in his hands gently kissing her passionately. "I love you with all my heart and desire as such to take you as my wedded one."

"I desire that as well but how shall I with my tail returned to me?" Sky spoke in dismay but as they spoke the Mer-King came forth towards his youngest with almost a mournful face upon his face.

"Do you love him Sky?" The king asked and when his young one spoke of true love beyond devotion did the sand glow around them with pure spun gold of the sun but with none pain, Sky saw that her tail no longer existed to have legs but once more. "Then I wish you to be happy and the future to be bright."

"Oh I thank you father. I shall marry my love if he but desires it." Sky said with a smile standing up to face Cedric finally no longer feeling the sharp pains in her feet from the witch's curses with the young couple embracing both agreeing to be one forever. That very night, in the middle of the sea upon the wedding ship, Sky and Cedric were wed sealing their union before the priest with a passionate kiss both finally getting what they wanted. Sky got her immortal soul and Cedric's love while Cedric got the one that had enchanted him from that very night of the storm. The song of the siren that would bind them but forever with a love pure as the gold within the very sun setting that night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing except Skylar Collins, Michelle Matthews, Cassandra Matthews and Brittany Matthews.**

**All mistakes my own.**

**AN: In this story the only characters I have used are Cedric Diggory, Amos Diggory, Oliver Wood and Harry Potter.**

Once upon a time in a far away kingdom there lived a loving man who had a lovely young daughter wanting everything for her but alas the child had no mother to care for her. The merchant knew that every child needed a loving mother so on his travels outside the kingdom, the man would search for someone he thought would make a loving wife and mother. One day he found a lovely woman named Michelle with two daughters named Cassandra and Brittany feeling that his daughter may like to play with them never having had siblings. After a short courtship, the man married the woman bringing her to his large estate as his wife and the two girls became his step daughters but alas, the man soon fell gravely ill dying on a cold snowy night. This is where our tale begins.

Many years later, the young girl had grown into a lovely young woman with emerald green eyes, long black hair and a slender form. She had grown all the more lovely than even her father would have imagined but sadly her stepmother didn't care for her in any form having chosen to spend her time and the money on her two spoiled daughters. The girl was made to work in the house hold as a servant, treated as less than family by all but through it all; she never lost her pure kind heart. Not far from the village, there live a boy with an entirely different life but none would have guessed that one day, they would meet under the magic of both the full moon and the fairies.

The morning had turned out as it always did with the morning glow filling the air, the sun rising to meet another day even as the birds began to slowly sing their sweet magical melodies. In a lone tower slept the girl covered in thin torn blankets but her quiet repose was not to be when the large clock tower at the large white palace began to ring declaring it the beginning of the day within the kingdom. Skylar 'Sky' had been having such a wonderful dream only to be woken rudely by the large insistent chimes of the large clock. "Oh yes, I hear you. Wake up, time to start another day." The girl grumbled getting out of the small bed with a sigh. "Man even that clock orders me around."

Once she was finally up and out of bed, Sky stripped off the long white thin sleeping shirt that covered all the way to her knees walking to gather some water from the basin left overnight on a smooth wooden table. As the icy cold water was applied to her body, she shivered making sure that she was clean before getting dressed into simple servant's clothing. She then tied her locks back in a low ponytail heading down the wooden stairs of the towering attic entering the kitchen to prepare the breakfast for the household. As she cooked for her family, the bells in the kitchen rang with them demanding their morning meal. With a sigh, the girl placed the hot teas and eggs onto three trays balancing them on each arm before heading upstairs well aware that the mean household's black cat was trying to trip her. The little beast always ran in front of her as if trying to trip Sky up only to get her into more trouble but she had managed to get upstairs without incident.

Once she had gotten up the long winding stairs, the girl entered the first room carrying the trays with a bright and cherry greeting to her step sister. "Good morning Cassandra, how did you sleep?" She placed the tray on her night table for her before she spoke.

"It's about time, get the laundry done and don't be all day about it Skylar." With the girl picking up her laundry with her free arm and the girl nodded leaving the large chambers.

"Yes, Cassandra." With her having been served her breakfast, the girl then entered her other sister's bedchambers opening the door with the same greeting as always only to once again be told she was taking too long being tossed the mending. Having both the other two chores to be done, Sky opened her stepmother's door with the evil cat scampering ahead nearly knocking her over to jump up onto the large master bed, both the cat and her stepmother hidden in the shadows.

"Well it seems you have been dilly-dallying again Skylar. It seems we must have time on our hands and so it would seem you need more chores to be done today doesn't it girl?" The woman began to sip her tea eyeing her stepdaughter never knowing why she bothered to keep her still in the house but she had inherited the home once her father had died with her hatred growing. "Now let's see the curtains on the second floor wash them."

"But I just did them last week."

"Do them again!"

"Yes…Yes Ma'am."

Michelle then sipped her tea again and smirked coldly at the girl. "Now the floors need washing, the gardening, the ironing, washing, and the mending. Also Magnus needs a bath." Grabbing the ironing her stepmother had for her, Sky began the long day of chores not knowing that her life was going to get all the more complicated.

Meanwhile at the large white palace, the king Amos was starting to get rather annoyed with his son's lack of interest in finding a wife yelling at his advisors. "Dammit, I don't care what the boy's excuse is; it is by time for Cedric to get married!"

"Yes, your majesty but how can you expect the boy to find one unless it be a foreign bride and the Prince is away on a hunting trip after all."

"Well he shall be returning tonight won't he? So we'll just arrange a welcome home ball for tonight."

The advisor stammered in pure alarm of what the king had in mind unsure that they could even pull that off much less in one day. "T…Tonight?"

"Tonight…And invited all the eligible girls to attend by royal decree."

"But you expect your son to find someone at the ball tonight? Majesty, one can't just fall in love within one night. Can we not just set it for another night?"

The king turned around glaring at the slender man. "No, tonight and he'll pick someone or I will. You don't know what it's like to see your only son growing farther and farther away from you Oliver, but I want to see my grandchildren before I die. Now go and get this all done and remember don't tell Cedric about why this ball is being held but to welcome him home understood?"

"Yes. Right away, Majesty." The man bowed leaving the large library to in all haste to do as their king bid of them quickly having the invitations written up before having the royal messengers leave the castle to give out the invitations to every household in the kingdom. While they did their duty, he did his' making sure the large ballroom was being readied to parade every unwed young person before the young Prince. In a way, Oliver almost pitied the boy knowing that the King wouldn't rest until the boy was married.

Sky had just cleaned the cat with the feline making sure that she had gotten wet during the whole ordeal hissing and howling at her. She was now busy cleaning the floor of the large front hall on her hands and knees having just finished the last bit of the black and white tiled floor when she suddenly saw the cat scampering along the now freshly cleaned floors with the dirt from the dust pan on his paws having covered the entire room with dirty kitty marks. Sky groaned and tossed her wet cloth onto the now once again dirty floor with both exhaustion and frustration. "Oh you mean little thing!" Just as she stood up to pick up the cat to take him outside, the doorbell rang with the girl answering it taking the letter from the messenger. Being told that it was urgent, the girl headed upstairs to interrupt the music lessons knocking on the door.

Michelle scowled and told Sky to enter the room. "Yes, what is it?"

"I know you told me you didn't want to be disturbed but this just arrived from the palace."

"The palace?" Both her step sisters came at her making Sky bolt to the side when they started to argue over the letter demanding to read it when Michelle grabbed a hold of it.

"I'll read it…" Opening the invitation the woman beamed in wicked delight. "Oh my, there is to be a masked ball in honour of the Prince's return and by royal command all eligible women in the kingdom must attend." With that said, all three women in the house scampered around in delight throwing clothes at Sky to be mended and cleaned for the ball.

The girl also beamed a little feeling some excitement on being able to go to the ball as well. "That means, I could go too." Both her step sisters burst into laughter at that comment and started to tease her about it but she was determined to stand up for herself at least this once. "Well why not? The invitation did say that all women had to attend didn't it?"

Michelle glanced at the girl with her eyes growing cold and smiled. "Well I don't see why not Skylar. As long as you get all your chores done and you can find something suitable to wear."

"Oh yes, I will stepmother! I promise…" Sky then left the room with excitement bubbling inside her unaware that her family never intended her to go to the masked ball much less have any time to be ready when the clock chimed at eight o'clock that very night when the carriage would arrive to take them to the palace.

Just as they had planned, the girl was so busy with helping the others get ready that she never had the time to get herself completely ready noticing that the carriage had arrived finishing up their final touches. Her heart broke at the realization that she wasn't going to get to go close to tears with her stepmother and stepsisters entering the grand hall.

"Why Skylar, you're not ready…Are you not going?"

"N…No Ma'am. I'm not going." Sky said looking down with a few tears falling down her soft cheeks in dismay with her heart breaking at never being able to go to the masked ball. She watched her family leave seeing the cruel smiles of satisfaction as they left her alone to her tears. As the carriage left, Sky burst into tears running through the house and into the gardens sobbing by the fountains not knowing nor seeing the silvery lights gently ghosting through the night air.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing except Skylar Collins, Michelle Matthews, Cassandra Matthews and Brittany Matthews.**

**All mistakes my own.**

Sky sobbed with her heart broken from having been unable to go to the ball but just as she lifted her head to wipe the moisture from her wet face, the girl glanced around in alarm. The air was covered with floating silver lights making her stand up on shaky legs backing up. When the lights started to form together she nearly ran back into the manor. The form turned into a young man dressed in white and wings. "Don't be afraid of me Sky. I'm here to help you."

"W…Who are you?" Her voice was just as shaky as her entire body glancing at this strange man uncertain as to what she truly was seeing wondering if this was but her imagination.

"I'm your fairy Godfather. But to you I'm Harry. Now do you want to go to the ball or not?" He asked sensing the girl was still a bit afraid.

Sky blinked, licking her suddenly dry lights. "I…Yes. You're my fairy Godfather?"

"Yep but you call me that or Harry." The fairy said grabbing a wand from the jacket while clearing his throat. "Well for starters, you're pretty but you won't get any heads turning in that get up Sky. Let's see a sweet crimson red would make the prince melt you know." With a wave of his wand, Harry felt the power flow over his body entering the wand to swirl around the astonished girl, the magic lifting her into the air. Where rags had once been a crimson red dress replaced them until Sky gently landed on her feet wearing Crimson shoes.

"Uh wow…This is…Amazing thank you."

"Don't mention it. Now since it is a masked ball, we can't have anyone recognizing you can we?" Harry raised his wand again with a crimson jewelled mask appearing on the top half of her face. "Yeah perfect Sky."

"But how do I get to the ball now?"

"Easy you could walk but then by the time you got to the palace it would be midnight and so a major waste of my time and yours or I could just make a carriage. Take your pick." When Sky didn't answer, Harry chuckled. "I'm kidding Sky you know and am going to make a carriage but what to use…Let's see…Aha! How about that pumpkin in the garden?"

The pumpkin rolled towards them from the shadowed gardens settling on the muddy dirt road. It grew and grew until it was at least six feet tall including the wheels but that wasn't all. As mice forged in the gardens, they also found themselves called into action appearing as horses and two footmen to drive the carriage.

"Well you're ready to go the ball but remember you have to leave because at the last stroke of Midnight, this all ends."

Sky nodded and went to the carriage getting inside it with a smile. "Thank you." She then felt the carriage lurch forward leaving the large manor heading to the large white gleaming palace and to her destiny. As she left, the fairy disappeared hoping that the girl at least got some happiness knowing how hard Sky's life had been since her father's untimely death.

The large glittering ballroom was filled with various masked men and women entering the large room through the stairwell covered in red velvet parading themselves before the prince. Prince Cedric stood in the centre wearing white pants and a black military jacket with golden embellishments also showing pure boredom in his grey eyes. As he bowed to the next young woman to curtsey at him, his father stood watching on the upper balcony.

The king groaned when he saw the boy yet again reject another suitor sitting back down on the large ornate chair. "Bah, he's not even trying."

Oliver smiled and watched the scene before them just as a few other women were paraded before the prince. "Oh forgive me, Majesty but you are a hopeless romantic. It was doomed to failure but one can always hope. The young prince bows but then he halts, suddenly seeing a vision of pure beauty. He doesn't know who it is nor does he truly care but knows he must meet this stranger." As he spoke, Cedric did bow before Cassandra and Brittany only to halt with a slight gasp feeling almost lost in the enchanting sight before him. He then pushed past the two startled girls heading towards the stairs just an red clad girl entered the ballroom going to ask her to dance bowing before the startled beauty.

"Failure? Ha! Look at that Oliver! Who is she? Do we know her?" The king felt an intense joy when he saw that his son was indeed interested in someone before he immediately urged the orchestra to play for the enchanted couple watching the prince lead the girl towards the floor. They were bathed in a soft pink, blue and green glow as soft pastel lights washed over the smooth marble floors. As Cedric danced with the lovely stranger, others in the ballroom began to wonder who the girl was, both lost in each other's eyes.

After dancing for hours, Cedric took Sky's red gloved hand within his white glad one leading her to the outdoor balcony to sit on the stone bench. "How come I've never seen you before?" Cedric inquired still lost in the girl's green eyes with Sky shyly looking away only to be brought back to him with a finger under her chin.

"I…I don't really come to the palace, your highness."

Cedric smirked a little and moved closer to the girl slowly feeling his body quivering even when their lips met softly before they both felt the sparks tingling all over their flesh. "Please, call me Cedric. Everyone calls me your highness but please not you too."

Sky blushes a soft shade of pink when their lips parted. "I…Cedric…" Her voice came out in a soft quivering whisper never wanting this to end, for when midnight came; she would just be a servant once more.

Cedric leaned forward to kiss the girl once again gently running a few fingers over her soft cheek unable to keep from touching the lovely creature before him. "Who are you?"

Sky opened her mouth to tell him but just then the large clock began to chime gasping in wild alarm standing up. "Oh no, it's midnight. I have to go." She slipped her hand from Cedric's seeing the prince's upset face as she backed away.

"What? What does midnight have to do with it?" Cedric then watched the stranger start to run away from him giving chance desperate to not lose her quivering with intense fire to possess Sky. "No! Wait…Please come back." As he gave chase, the prince soon found himself surrounded by various other women vying for his attention but Cedric would have none of it. He got past them but as he reached the palace stairs, he saw a large carriage drive away unable to catch up to it. Heartbroken the boy felt tears glistening his dark eyes fearing he may never see the beauty once again. Bending down he noticed the Crimson shoe realizing that it was actually made of glass holding the precious object to his very heart returning to the palace determined to find the girl he was destined to marry.

The next morning, the entire kingdom was a glow with gossip and delight hearing the news that the prince wanted to find the crimson stranger that had enchanted him at the ball. When Michelle heard the news, she knew that Prince Cedric was touring every single home in the Kingdom to find the girl with everyone trying to glass shoe that was his only clue to the stranger's identity. She hurried into her daughters' rooms demanding that they ready themselves with Cassandra yawning at her mother. "Oh who cares? He is only interested in a slut of a girl not us."

"You both listen to me…He is going to every single house in the kingdom and this is your last chance to beguile him do you hear me? If he finds this girl, he intends to make her his wife. We mustn't let some stranger take our chance."

Hearing that the prince was looking for her, Sky gasped in the room with wide blue eyes and felt her entire body shiver with her heart racing. Her lips still tingled from when the prince had kissed her but when Michelle saw the dazed look on the girl's face, her eyes darkened. It was suddenly all clear storming over to her stepdaughter, gripping her forearm in a cold iron grasp half dragging, half forcing her towards the cellar stairs taking her down them throwing her into the room racing upstairs.

Sky struggled in alarm realizing that she knew the truth landing hard to her side onto the cold stone floor with her hips burning while she got up. As she moved to get up Michelle came towards her carrying a thin leather belt rolling the girl onto her front striking her back mercilessly with it knowing that she could draw blood. She didn't seem to care and Sky screamed and sobbed hard while she was being punished for going to the ball. After she had beaten her back hard until blood soaked the shirt, Michelle headed back upstairs telling her that she had more to come.

To her horror, she heard the door being locked and her eyes blurred sobbing and screaming for her to let her out. "No! Please Stepmother…No please! I beg of you to let me out…Please!" She went to the top of the stairs with her legs giving out sitting there with her face hidden in her lap, her tears pooling on the stone.

Michelle took no pity hiding the key in her coat going to help her daughters get dressed for the royal visit with the hours going by rather quickly with the royal carriage finally arriving. Cedric had been up all night and was exhausted but the thought of finding the girl that had enchanted him, gave him all the energy he needed. Leaving the carriage, the boy looked around finding only women in the front courtyard.

"Are you all that live here Milady?" He asked wearily and Michelle curtseyed to him with a small smile.

"Yes your highness but you look so exhausted. Would you accept our hospitality and have some tea at the very least?"

"I really should get going and continue my search." Cedric replied feeling his heart sinking that he once again had hit a dead end but he had travelled all night needing a moment's rest nodding to accept a little bit of tea. Not long after, the prince was sipping at the tea not knowing that just under him was the very one he was seeking sobbing in a ball on the cellar floor in pain bloodied and bruised. While he drank his tea, Cedric noticed that the woman was showing off her daughters but his eyes remained elsewhere spying a few pictures on the mantle. There was a lovely girl in one of the portraits with a man. "Whom is that?"

"Oh that was my husband and stepdaughter but sadly they aren't with us."

"Oh I am sorry Milady." Cedric stood up and bowed. "I really must get going…." Just as he reached the front parlour, he heard the pained sobs of someone in distress looking at the woman seeming to come from the outside. Taking his sword, the prince went to the side of the manor finding a chained wooden entrance to a cellar. "Open it."

Michelle went in front of the door with wide eyes trying to distract the prince from finding the sobbing pained form of her stepdaughter. "Oh its nothing but a servant whom has been punished your highness."

"I said open it." Cedric's voice was stern holding the sword before him with Michelle moving away but found she didn't have the keys. When the woman didn't do as commanded, the prince raised the sword, the blade glistening in the sun slicing down to cut through the locked chains as if through churned butter. The chains gave away with a sharp snap and he eagerly put the sword away bending down to open the twin wooden doors to let the light of day into the damp room. What he saw broke his very heart seeing a girl lying on the cement floor, her face wet with tears, dirt and soot from the fireplace obviously in agony holding onto something for desperate life. What the girl held in her arms stopped Cedric's heart seeing the Crimson shoe he was missing.

Sky had hidden the remaining shoe in the cellar once she'd gotten home needing it for solace only to gasp seeing the face of the prince standing there. She struggled to move but Cedric went down into the cellar taking her into his arms.

"No, don't move. I have you now and am not letting you go my beauty." Cedric softly spoke and took the shoe from a footman to join it with the one in Sky's arms. Taking that shoe, the prince smiled. "I have been looking all night for the one this shoe belongs to but you seem to carry the other. May I?" With nodded permission, Cedric gently put the shoe onto Sky's bare foot finding it a perfect fit.

"But I'm not worthy of you." Sky protested only to cry out when Cedric carried her up the cellar stairs to the outside of the large house to rest on the warm green grass placing the other shoe on the other foot.

"Don't you see? We are like these shoes, we are a matching pair and I'm not letting you go." Cedric softly spoke as he gently leaned forward pressing his lips to that of his beloved's. "Who did this to you?"

"My step mother for my disobedience."

Seeing the blood on his hand, Cedric's eyes darkened looking at Michelle. "Guards seize that woman." The guards moving to capture the alarmed woman but Sky put a hand on the prince's arm.

"No, Cedric. Please she is my stepmother and I only ask that we leave this place. Leave them with their misery for that is punishment enough for my mistreatment." Sky's voice was a soft whisper with wet eyes of full compassion holding onto Cedric's shoulders with the prince picking her up.

"Your heart is far too kind for those that treated you with none my love." Cedric replied telling the guards to release the woman gently helping Sky into the carriage to leave them alone. With the doors closed, the boy smirked. "You know I still don't know your name."

Sky looked down blushing only to find Cedric once again tilting her head up like the very night before gently gazing into those very eyes that had so enchanted him. "Skylar Collins. But I like to be called Sky."

"Well then, Sky Collins I guess I should ask you if you would marry me then?" Cedric smiled urging the carriage to head to the gleaming white palace with the girl nodding.

"Yes, oh yes I shall for you enchanted me last night and rescue me today."

"Good for I shall have no other." Cedric replied and once more the two kissed with a passion they would know for many ages as those forever bound by their souls, hearts and bodies.

Within the month, the entire kingdom rejoiced at the marriage of the prince to his beloved knowing they would for a good long time with many heirs and just one year later, Sky did indeed cement that very prophecy when she gave birth to a set of healthy baby twins a boy and girl. They ruled together for many happy years with the kingdom prospering under their reign living happily ever after.


End file.
